August 2, 2010
The idea of a government agency looking our for our clients' best interest is certainly admirable. Unfortunately, with the complexity of today's financial products it is a very subjective analysis. Is "best" the cheapest today, cheapest long term, highest rated company, best performing in past or future, lowest cost, highest net return? I could go on and on. There is a lot of gray area to the term "best interest", and that is why I think the SEC is not equiped to make such a determination.
I would prefer the government get their own financial house in order rather than determine what advice is in everyone's "best interest". The one thing our government officials could do that would be in it's citizens best interest is to reduce the deficit and quit spending money that our nation does not have. Any individual or company that was as irresponsible with their budget,as our elected leaders are with our country's, would surely be bankrupt in short order.